Squad news

DOUBTS FOR THE CLASH AGAINST ATLETICO

14 Nov 2009For the first time on the season, Lotina is facing big problems to build up a lineup due to the injuries and suspensions. Three players are already out and other six could end missing the next liga game at the Riazor.

Monday will be a crucial day in order to know the players that Miguel Angel Lotina will have available for the liga encounter against Atletico Madrid (Saturday, 18h00 CET), because on that day it will be determined which ones of the current seven doubtful players will be ready to perform with the Galician squad.

So far three players are already discarded for the game against the Madrilenians: Left-back Brayan Angulo (knee), midfielder Sergio and striker Riki (both suspended). Riki was pending to know if the second appeal presented by the club would be accepted or not. On Friday the club received a notification informing that the second appeal was rejected. The attacker was sent off with two yellow cards in the past liga game against Getafe. The appeals were rejected because, according to the LFP, the video that was proving that Riki didn’t handle the ball in the play of the second yellow was of a “very poor quality”.

Meanwhile, the six cases of players on doubt are related to the injuries: midfielder Juca (thigh), central defender Albert Lopo (knee), striker Lassad Nouioui (hamstring), central defender Zé Castro (adductor), striker Rodolfo Bodipo (groin) and left winger/playmaker Iván Pérez (knee). The status of these seven men will be studied on Monday after the break of the weekend.

Of this list, only Lopo and Bodipo worked during Friday’s training session, though the duo didn’t took part of the match played at the end of the session. Doctor Ramón Barral gave a press conference at Abegondo and talked about these case, he firstly said that Lopo has “completed big part of the session and we only took him off for the final part due to precaution reasons”.

Juca has been out since the game against Villarreal, on Friday he passed a scan and doctor Ramón Barral told to reporters that “Our first impression is very positive and we hope he will be able to join the trainings starting on Monday.” If the Brazilian is fit to play for next Saturday’s game at the Riazor, then it will mean good news for Lotina, because the suspension of Sergio is only leaving the coach with the options of Antonio Tomás and Juan Rodriguez for the pivote functions.

Depor’s manager even said during a radio interview at Radio Cadena Ser that he is thinking of picking Fabril’s Juan Dominguez for the game against Atletico Madrid. The young midfielder has been out of the last games with Deportivo B due to a toe injury, but was already training with the first team on Friday.

About the rest of players in doubt, Doctor Barral told to reporters that Iván Pérez suffered a blow during Thursday’s training and that he had an inflamed right knee, while he assured that the problems of Zé Castro and Lassad are more “simple” and that he’s hoping that “They will improve during the weekend, so that by Monday they could be totally recovered.”